A Jest of God tells the story of Rachel Cameron, an elementary school teacher, who longs for a connection with another human being. Rachel learns how to allow herself to become vulnerable and reach out to connect to others in her community through a new relationship with an old schoolmate and the ways it brings her out of the bubble she has previously placed herself within.
This was one of the novels we read and discussed in ENGL 313. Although I have started to try to avoid this type of novel, focusing on self-discovery as told by a middle aged women who feels stuck in her small town world, I was able to enjoy this novel. What made A Jest of God most enjoyable for me was that it addressed topics that would have been considered taboo in small town communities such as the fictional Manawaka in the 1960’s when it was first published such as death and love affairs. This, along with the inter-textual elements, made the novel more interesting for me and I enjoyed the discussions we had on it in class.
Ms. Steele's Education Journey 